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Abstract
A study (JIP) on reliability of well completion equipment
(Wellmaster Phase III) was completed by SINTEF in
November 1999. This has resulted in a comprehensive
database on well completion equipment, with a total of 8000
well-years of completion experience represented and more
than 1000 downhole failures included, given as input from the
16 funding oil companies of this JIP. The database represents
all categories of downhole equipment, from tubing hanger
level down. The paper points towards the major contributors to
well interventions and downtime, indicating industry average
and benchmark failure rates of the most vital completion
components. A historical evolution in reliability of Subsurface
safety valves (SCSSV) is demonstrated, and the industry wide
effect of reliability improvements is shown through specific
examples. In the North Sea, reliability data has gained
widespread acceptance for use in decision making. The paper
lists several cases where reliability data of downhole
equipment has been used with a major impact on field
development and subsequent operational expenditures.
1. Introduction
Reliability data has gained widespread use in the offshore
business due to industry studies like OREDA, Wellmaster and
others. The introduction of statutory codes and regulations in a
number of oil producing countries has also strongly
accelerated this development. During the last decade, offshore
industry managers have become increasingly aware of the
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Database contents
The Wellmaster database is currently the most comprehensive
completion equipment database worldwide, with participation
from 16 major oil companies in Phase III. Key figures on the
database scope are as follows:
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2. Results
The Wellmaster Phase III project extended previous historical
data provided by SINTEF. The Ekofisk Bravo blowout in
Norway in April 1977 paved the way for a collective effort on
improvement of safety levels for Norwegian offshore
installations and was the basis for SINTEFs initial reliability
study on SCSSVs which was published in 1983. Since then, an
unbroken chain of historical data on performance of both
SCSSVs and other completion equipment data has followed.
Figure 4 illustrates the historical evolution in SCSSV
reliability. A significant improvement in SCSSV performance
has resulted, from an initial Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) of
14.2 years (1983) to the most recent result of 36.7 years
(1999). This represents a tremendous boost in well production
availability and availability of the SCSSV as a safety barrier.
Morever, downhole reliability data has become an important
instrument in communication with interpretation of auhorities
rules and regulations in many offshore regions around the
world. The challenge for many operators is the time lag from
demonstration of performance improvement to revisions of
governmental regulations.
A distinct trend in well completions is the increased
preference towards the use of single rod piston, flapper type
tubing retrievable safety valves without equalizing feature.
This trend towards design standardization is paying off
when looking at this purely from a SCSSV reliability and well
intervention standpoint. However, as a result of the reduction
in piston area, the control pressure needs to be increased. This
has some negative effects for subsea completions, with high
control umbilical pressures, increased probability of hydraulic
leaks in control pods, subsea hydraulic connections and other.
High completion equipment reliability is particularly
important for subsea completed wells, particularly in deep
waters. This is illustrated by some examples from the North
Sea, which were reported in the Wellmaster Phase III project:
Well A experienced a failure (leakage in closed position) of
the TR-SCSSV in June 1995. Upon failure diagnosis of the
well, a tubing to annulus communication due to a leaking
GLV was noted. The well was shut down and a subsea
workover followed. Due to problems with rig availability and
production allocation restraints, the well was off production
until October 1996. During the workover, the failed GLV was
replaced and an insert valve was run inside the failed TRSCSSV. Total well downtime was 476 days.
Well B also involved a failure of the SCSSV. A critical failure
(leakage in closed position) occurred on the TR-SCSSV
during initial completion, in August 1997. The failure was
caused by a coiled tubing bottom hole assembly hanging up
while pulling out of hole at TR-SCSSV depth, indicated
through flapper and hinge pin damage during the subsequent
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NOMENCLATURE
GLV
MTTF
MTTW
NORSOK
OREDA
SCSSV
TR
WR
REFERENCES
3. Conclusions
/1/
/2/
/3/
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors wish to thank the participants of the Wellmaster
Phase III project for permission to publish this paper. The
participants were A/S Norske Shell,
Amerada Hess Norge A/S, BHP Petroleum Pty. Ltd.,
BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd., BG PLC, Enterprise
Oil plc, Mobil Exploration Norway Inc., Norsk Agip A/S,
Norsk Hydro ASA, Norske Conoco AS,TOTAL Norge A.S,
Saga Petroleum ASA, Statoil, Chevron Petroleum Technology
Company, Exxon Production Research Company and Texaco
Group Inc.
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B u ffe r D a ta b a se
M a n u fa ctu re r
F a ilu re re p o rt d u p lica te
W e llm a ste r
C lie n t
ve rsio n 2 .5
M o d e ra to r/
QA
F a ilu re ca u se co m m e n t
W e llm a ste r
W in d o w s N T A ge n t
E -M a il
Com pany
D a ta b a se
G e n e ra te a u to m a tic
re p ly a n d co n firm a tio n
W e llW a tch
HTML
W e b B ro w se r
Users - M anufacturers
Adriatic
0.1 %
Africa
2.7 %
S.E. Asia/Australia
2.5 %
GoM
8.1 %
Other
0.1 %
North Sea
86.5 %
North Sea
Other
E xp ro S o ft
W e llm a ste r
S e rve r
GoM
Adriatic
Africa
S.E. Asia/Australia
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S e rv ic e T im e (y e a rs )
C o m p le tio n T y p e v s . S e rv ic e T im e
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
F ixe d p la tfo r m
we ll
Subsea
T L P c o m p le te d
O n sh o re
c o m p le te d we ll
we ll
c o m p le te d we ll
C o m p le tio n T y p e
MTTF (years)
50
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
36.69
20.2
14.2
SCSSV I
(1983)
16.4
19.55
12.7
SCSSV II
(1986)
SCSSV III
(1989)
SCSSV IV
(1992)
Figure 4 Historical development of TR-SCSSV (flapper valve type) reliability during the period 1983-1999.